FOLLOWING back-to-back away victories over Bristol City and Sheffield United respectively, the R’s are quickly back in action tomorrow.
Mick Beale’s side welcome Reading to Loftus Road for this Sky Bet Championship clash under the lights in W12.
Ahead of the meeting with Paul Ince’s outfit, we look at five figures who have pulled on the blue and white of both sides throughout their careers.
Kaspars Gorkšs
QPR 2008-11, Reading 2011-14
First up is defender Kaspars Gorkšs, who is fondly remembered in W12 for his three-year spell in west London – which included his role in which he played throughout the 2010/11 campaign which ultimately saw Neil Warnock’s side clinching promotion to the Premier League.
Having begun his career within his native Latvia with FK Auda, before enjoying spells with Oster, Assyriska Föreningnen and Ventspills.
The now 40-year-old made the switch to England in 2006, with a move to Blackpool giving him his first taste in the Football League.
An impressive two-years at Bloomfield Road would follow, before making the move to Loftus Road in June 2008.
Gorkšs would become an instant hit in W12, with the 2010/11 season seeing him form a formidable partnership alongside Matthew Connolly as Neil Warnock’s side sealed a return to the topflight.
He would ultimately depart the following summer, joining Reading having made 124 appearances and scored 6 goals in the blue and white Hoops.
The dominant defender would spend three-years at the Madejski Stadium, in a spell which saw him also helping the Royals seal promotion to the topflight, with the Lativian’s first ever Premier League ironically coming against the R’s in November 2012.
Gorkšs later had spells with Colchester United, Ergotelis, Dukla Prague, Liepãja, Riga and Auda Riga before retiring in 2018.
Brian Bedford
QPR 1959-1966, Reading 1954-55
Having begun his career with Reading, legendary striker Brian Bedford would eventually joine Rangers in 1959, following an impressive spell on the south coast with Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic.
Bedford was virtually an ever-present for the Super Hoops over the next six years, where he didn’t once score less than 25 goals in a season.
His best tally was a staggering 39 in 1961/62, thereby equalling George Goddard’s total from 1920/30 for the all-time QPR record of league and cup goals scored by one player in a season, which would only be topped by Rodney Marsh’s’ incredible 44 in the 1966/67 campaign.
Bedford scored 14 hat-tricks, including netting four in a game on two separate occasions and remains QPR’s leading post-wat goal scorer.
In total, he scored an incredible 180 goals in 284 appearances before departing in 1966, with spells with Scunthorpe United, Brentford, Atlanta Chiefs and finally Bexley United eventually seeing out his career.
Brian was inducted into the Forever R’s club in 2017, QPR’s former players, managers, and coaches’ association as we recognised his time in west London.
Bedford sadly passed away earlier this year, aged 88 but he will forever be remembered for his record-breaking spell at Loftus Road.
Les Ferdinand
QPR 1989-95, Reading 2005
Striker and now current Director of Football, ‘Sir’ Les Ferdinand famously began his career in non-league with Southall and Hayes before joining the R’s in 1987.
Following a loan spell with Besiktas, a young Ferdinand would return to Loftus Road ahead of the 1989-90 season and would soon become one of QPR’s greatest of the modern era.
An impressive 80 goals from 185 appearances for the Super Hoops, including the 24 in which he clinched in all competitions throughout the 1992/93 would help guide Gerry Francis’ side to a top five finish – whilst ensuring we finished top London club that year.
Eventually departing W12 in 1995, Ferdinand would go on to become one of the Premier League’s greatest ever strikers, with his spells at Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Leicester City and Bolton Wanderers.
A full England international with 17 caps to his name, Ferdinand would move to Reading in 2005 towards the tail end of the 2004/05 campaign, making 12 appearances for the Royals.
Following his retirement, the now 55-year-old is currently the clubs Director of Football, a role in which he has worked in since 2014.
Jamie Mackie
QPR 2010-2013 & 2015-2018, Reading 2014-15
Forward Jamie Mackie would become a popular figure during his two separate spells at Loftus Road, as his goal scoring exploits, and perseverance made him a firm fan favourite in W12.
Having begun his career with Wimbledon and later MK Dons, Mackie would make a name for himself in the southwest with impressive stints with Exeter City and Plymouth Argyle catching the eye of many suitors – with the forward eventually moving to west London following Argyle’s relegation in 2010.
Mackie would hit the ground running in W12, scoring eight goals from his first seven league games including doubles over Ipswich Town and Swansea City – form earning him a call-up to the Scottish national side.
However, a disastrous leg break in January 2011 would ultimately limit his role in the second half of Neil Warnock’s promotion winning campaign of 2010/11.
But, the Scottish international would make an impressive recovery and play a major part in our Premier League survival the following season – with famous strikes against Liverpool and Manchester City helping maintain Rangers’ top flight status.
Mackie would move to Nottingham Forest in 2013, before moving to Reading the following season.
He would gone to help the Royals to their first FA Cup semi-final in 88 years, but defeat to Arsenal would signal the end to a memorable campaign.
The now 37-year-old would return to W12 ahead of the 2015/16 campaign for his second spell, which would see him making a further 54 appearances for the R’s taking his total tally up to 150 for the Super Hoops.
Mackie would depart in 2018, having scored 24 goals where he joined Oxford United before retiring in 2020.
Jamie was inducted into the Forever R’s club in 2021, QPR’s former players, managers, and coaches’ association as we recognised his time in west London.
Mikele Leigertwood
QPR 2007-2011, Reading 2010-14
Midfielder Mikele Leigertwood will be remembered for his time in W12, as he added some important quality to a struggling Rangers side in the early 2000’s.
Having begun his career with Wimbledon, Leigertwood would make his name with Crystal Palace moving to Selhurst Park in 2004, helping the Eagles seal a play-off final victory that season.
However, the following season would end in disappointment as Palace faced an instant relegation, but Leigertwood would remain in the Premier League moving to Sheffield United.
The midfielder would enjoy a years spell with the Blades, before he would be on the move again – this time to Loftus Road as part of a number of new arrivals in W12 throughout the 2007/08 campaign.
Capped by Antigua and Barbuda, Leigertwood would make 141 appearances for the R’s, scoring 12 memorable goals, including his brace against Stoke City in 2008.
He would ultimately depart in 2010, where he joined Reading and would go on to play a major role at the Madejski stadium – helping them to promotion in 2012.
The now 39-year-old would eventually hang up his boots in 2014, having made over 370 professional appearances.
A huge thank you to Club Historian, Chris Guy for his contribution to this piece.
https://www.qpr.co.uk/news/features/played-for-both-reading-061022/
